A follower...9 am Wonder Arts

When I first began The Wonder Studio, I was very passionate about providing children with a high quality Arts and Science program. I felt a strong mission to have a place where the Children were the leaders.  

American society places a high value on their children being leaders instead of followers.  I assume that it's the characteristics of leaders that intrigues us all... Persistence, Empathetic, Cooperative, Strong self-control, etc...

These leadership characteristics are also types of learning dispositions.  These are skills that many young children naturally have. When children are in an environment where materials are open-ended and allow for practice in cooperation...things like self-direction, self-control, curiosity, and imagination are encouraged to develop. 

But what about the value of being able to follow.  Is this an important skill as well?  I love this example here..."First Follower"...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW8amMCVAJQ

Obviously, there can be no good leaders without their followers.  But learning about and being able to discern Who is a good leader? ...Not just blindly following Joe Shmoe...I think that this is a critical skill to practice.  

A good follower questions his leader...

A good follower makes the leader a better leader.

A good follower knows when to comply and when not to.

A good follower copies or imitates the leader to "try on" these leadership dispositions.

And sometimes, with enough practice, and enough good following...that follower might just become... 

the leader.

I want to remember this...when my daughter questions me...or chooses not to comply...questioning authority can have the power to make you a better leader...or a better parent.

I want to be careful to balance these times of my children being in a leadership role along with times when they are asked to follow.

After all, I know my favorite leaders are the ones who are able to discern when they too should follow!